Automobile lock



W. SEILER.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK. APPLICATION FILED Auezzs, 1919.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922 2 smears-sun t- ATTORNEY- W. SEIL ER.

AUTOMQBILE LOCK.v APPucAnoumw AUG-23, m9.

Patented Mar. 28,1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOH WILLIAM .sezun Mw ATTOHNE V.

WILLIAM SEILER, OF KOKOMO, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES HAMMOND, OF KOKOIVIO, INDIANA.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

Application filed August 23, 1919. Serial No. 319,521.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM Sni'LnR, a citizen of the the United States, residing at Kokomo, in the county of Howard and State of Indiana have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Locks, of which the following'is aspecification. I This invention relates to automobile locks and the prime feature ofthe invention is the provision of a locking mechanism which will cut off. the supply of fuel from the motor and render it impossible 'to operate the motor of the vehicle until the locking'mechanism is again operated to again turn onythe supply of fuel, thereby guarding against the possibility of the automobile being stolen.

A further feature of the invention is the provision, in connection. with the means for cutting ollithe flow of fuel; of a lock, preferably'of the combination type. for controlling the operation of the fuel controlling mechanism.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means for automatically operating the fuel. out off, whereby the fuel. will. be automatically cut oif when the pressure of the lock mechanism is released, therefrom, by 'manipulating the combination feature of the lock or when the lock is broken, in an attempt to turn on the fuel.

A further feature of the invention is the manner in which the fuel cut off mechanism is applied to use, either by building .the cut off directly into the carbureterso as to intercept the flow of the fuel before it enters the mixing chamber of the 'carbureter, or attaching the cut off exteriorly of'the' carbureter in such manner as to intercept the flow of fuel to the carburetor.

Other objects and advantages will be hercinafter more fully set forth and pointed out in the. followingdescription and specification. I

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carbureter, showing a cut off mechanism built into the same.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View thereof as seen on line 2-42 Fig. 1.

Fig; 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the cut off mechanism outside of the carbureterand attach ed thereto.

7 Flg. 4 is an edge elevation of a dial to be used 1n connection with the locking mecha- IllSIIl.

' Fig. 5 is atop plan view of the dial.

Referrmg to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several vlews, 1 indicates a carburetor which may be of any preferred type said carburetor hav-lng a fuel intake port 2, a mixingchamber 3 and a feed port l, as is usual in carbureters;

In order to entirely out off the supply of fuel from the mixing chamber of the carburetor and thereby prevent the operation of the motor to which. the carburetor is at tached, a cut off valve 5 is so positioned as to intercept the fuel on its passage from the usual supply tank to the mixing chamber of the carburetor; and as shown in Fig. EZQthe valve 5 I seated in a socket 6, formed in a wall 7, of the carburcter above the mixing chamber 3, the lower end of the socket 6 communicating with the mixing chamber 3 through a port 8.

The valve 5 is preferably in the form of a ball and is held in the socket (3 by thread ing a cap 9 into a recess ll) in the wall 7, the cap having an opening thcrctlu-ough. through which part of the valve may projcrt -thc wall of the opening through the cap having a circum'l'crcntial shoulder l 1. against which the valve strikes and which limits the outward movement of the valve. The fuel intake 2 discharges the fuel. above the cap 9 so that the fuel in its passage to the mixing chamber, must pass through the socket 6 .and port 8 to enter the mixing chamber, consequently, when the ball valve 5 is seated against the shoulder 11, the flow of fuel to the mixingchamber is entirely stopped and the engine can not be started or operated until the valve is again opened.

is built into the carburetor and is The valve 5 is automatically closed by means of a spring 12, whlch is positioned 1n the socket (3 below the valve. the tension of the space between the cap and diaphragmproviding a passage for the fuel from the intake 2 to the socket 6. When the engine is to be operated, the diaphragm l i is depressed, which lowers the ball valve 5 away from its seat 11 and permits the fuel to flow into the mixing chamber of the carbureter.

Any suitable means may be'employed for depressing the diaphragm for opening the valve, but preferably a combination lock mechanism is employed so as to render it practically impossible for any one not familiar with the combination of the lock mechanism to open the valve 5 and reestablish the feed of the fuel tothe carbureter. In carrying out this feature of the invention, a plurality oftumblers 16 are entered into a casing 17 and said casing then entered into the chamber 18 and so secured therein that it will be impossible to gain access to the tumblers without first removing them from the chamber.

One of the tumblers 16 is provided with a plunger 18, which engages the upper face of the diaphragm 14, and by arranging the tumbler so that when turned to a certain position, the tumbler having the plunger thereon, will move inwardly, the diaphragm will be depressed and held in its depressed position until the lock mechanism is again operated to release the ressure on the diaphragm, when the va ve will be an tomatically closed by the pressure of the spring 12, and held in such closed position until pressure is again applied thereon.

By arranging the valve in this manner, it will remain closed, even though the tumblers were removed in an efiort to release the valve from its seat, and even then the machine could not be driven. as it would be necessary to hold the valve depressed.

In order to conveniently operate the tumblers, a rod 19 is extended from the tumblers to any convenient point on the machine, preferably the dash, where it will be convenient for the operator to manipulate the dial 20 attached to the upper end of the rod, said dial bein of the ordinary type, although, preferabfy, the graduations are designated by letters instead of numerals, in which the combination may consists of certain letters of a name, and thus be more readily remembered.

It is to be understood, of course, that any suitable locking mechanism may be used in connection with the cut off valve, so long as the lock is arranged to direct pressure on the diaphragm for releasing the valve when the motor is to be operated, and to remove the pressure therefrom, when the supply offuellis tobe cut off.

\Vhen the valve mechanism is attached exteriorly of the carbureter, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, a housing 21, is provided for the casing 17, this housing having the fuel intake formed therein, and likewise the valvev is located in this housing.

When this form of device is used, the housing 21 is provided with an extension 22 which threads into the ordinary form of opening 23 in the carburetor, the port 8 being extended through the extension and communicating with the usual fuel intake 24, of the carburetor.

The operation of this form of locking and valve mechanism is the same as that described in the first instance, theonly difference beingin the location of thevalve mechanism. i p From the'foregoing it will be seen that it will be practically impowible forany one, other-than the owner or driver of the car to start the engine of the machine, unless others know the combination of the locking mechanism, so as to manipulate the looking mechanism to direct pressure on the diaphragm and release the valve from its seat, or if it is a key operated locking mechanism, is providedwith a key, as the removal or tearing away of the locking mechanism will not effect the release of the valve, as there wouldthen be no means of applying the pressure on the valve.

The possibility of the car being stolen or driven away by any one not entitled to the use of the car, is veryremote, and gives to the owner or driver of the car a feeling of safety that he wouldnot otherwise have, if the lockingmechanism was not installed on the car.

The invention claimed is:

1. In aivalve structure a valve seat, a ball valve projecting part way through said seat, means for automatically moving said valve against said seat for closi i passa e through said seat, a'diaphragm axi tfiiomd ad jacent said valve and free therefrom and on the opposite side of the valve from the valve seating means,.and a lock means for depressin said diaphragm for removing and retaining said valve away from its seat.

2. 'In a valve structure a valve seat, a ball valve at one sidev of said seat and a diaphragm on the opposite side'of said vwlve seat from said valve and unattached to the valve adapted to be moved against said valve for disengaging and holding the same from its seat and a lock mechanism for operating said diaphragm.

3. In a valve structure a valve seat, a ball valve at one side of said valve seat a part of which extends through the seat, means for automatically seating said valve, a diaphragm on the opposite side of said valve seat from the valve independent of and adapted to he moved against said valve, and a combination lock mechanism for moving 10 said diaphragm against said valve for moving the Valve away from its seat.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

WILLIAM SEILER. 

